The Haunting Laughter
by Jay wants a rubber duck
Summary: Ginny awakes from a nightmare only to find herself alone. Where is Neville? Part of the Nightmare Competition by Ikrona.


I do not own Harry Potter.

**The Haunting Laughter **

**JayWantsaRubberDuck**

_The snake crept closer and closer, raising it's head for attack. He took a false step and it attacked. Biting everywhere, blood started to pool on the ground. The sword of Gryffindor falls and the laughter starts. Voldemort has picked it up. The war is as good as over, the snake could not be killed._

Ginny jolted out of her nightmare and immediately looked over to the left side of the bed. Oh good he was¾ wait! Empty? Where the hell is he? "Neville?" she called quietly, hoping he was just in the bathroom. No response. "Neville?" she started calling louder as she grew more and more panicked. "Neville!" "NEVILLE!"

Finally footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. Ginny froze, what if it was a Death Eater? She grabbed her wand just as the door opened. "Ginny what's wrong?" Neville asked with his wand at the ready and his eyes darting around the room.

"Oh Neville you're alive! Thank Merlin it was all just a dream. Oh Nev it was absolutely horrible." she cried while jumping into his arms.

Sitting down on the bed he tried to calm her down, "Don't worry babe, it was just a dream. Do you want to tell me about it?" They were no stranger to nightmares. Anyone who was in the war suffered from them far more than they would like to admit. Those that had a hand in killing someone or something often had them the most. Sometimes Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville got together just to comfort each other because killing horcruxes was the worst thing one could do. (Besides creating them that is.) To have to face your worst nightmare head on and overcome it? Well far weaker people would have run screaming. So even though Ginny had some nightmares they were often few and far between compared to Neville.

"You died… the snake got to you before you were ready. He was laughing… he always laughs. Why does he always laugh?" she asked. Every time she had a nightmare it always ended with Voldemort laughing. If she could choose just one thing to forget about Voldemort it would have to be his laugh. The creepy sadistic sound that haunted her while awake or not. It never failed to send shivers up her spine.

"Its okay Ginny. I promise I am not going to die until we are old and surrounded by kids and grandkids. We are going to be well looked after, fat and content with our lives before we live this world. Lizzy will be all grown up then. Can you imagine? Our first born all grown up? She is only eight months old, sound asleep in the next room. I wonder what she'll look like when she is our age… I hope she has hair just like yours."

"But Nev it's brown, like yours."

"I know I just meant long and shinny," he grinned knowing he was succeeding in leading her to happier thoughts of the future. "I hope we have lots of kids running around here in the next ten years. Being a only child is often lonely. I never want Lizzy to be lonely."

"Well having lots of brothers never really lead to boredom in my house," she laughed. "I remember it was always so loud and busy every day. Then the year before I left for Hogwarts I was the only one. It was often just me and mom. I got so used to the quiet and calmness that that summer was just insane. Everyone came back just for a little bit here and there. I was pretty shell shocked with the first prank Fred and George played on me…" she grinned trailing off.

"What did they do?" Neville asked softly. Her brother was not a subject that they talked about often because everyone around would somber up and get really pensive. Which in Neville's mind was the last thing that Fred would want.

"Well before they left for the year they promised to send me a Hogwarts toilet seat, which mom went ballistic upon hearing. So since they were smarter than they looked they didn't ever send me one in the mail. Instead on their first morning back I went to the bathroom when I woke up only to find a talking Hogwarts toilet seat. It scared me so much! Then when I tried to flush it bubbles started pouring out of it and when they popped they made the grossest sounds. Mom had such a fit, but that was my favorite prank from before Hogwarts."

"I can just see your mom's face."

"Hey!"

"What? You know she always has the most priceless expressions." Getting no response he continued, "You know I love your mom right? She has always treated us misfits as one of her own and I know Harry and I wouldn't give it up for the world."

"Oh I know. Do you remember when Harry was freaking out?" she asked laughing. "It was after we just broke up, he thought none of us would let him into the family anymore."

"Was that the year he didn't show up for Christmas on time?"

"Yeah, mom was so mad. She flooed over to his house and we didn't see them for a half and hour. I would have given anything to see either one of their faces!"

"Harry told me that it was the scariest night of his life. With no one there to deflect her anger she went on and on. I don't know what else went on but they have been closer ever since."

"I don't know but I'm glad you were there that year. It was when I first saw you in a new light. I don't know why it took me so long… I'm glad you waited."

"I would always wait for you Ginny, you're my everything."

With that they fell into a comfortable but tired silence. Just before they fell asleep again Ginny whispered, "Thank you Neville for always chasing the nightmares away."

"That's what I'm here for. To love you no matter what life throws at us, my Ginny."

"Back at you." And with that the three Longbottoms slept through the rest of the night with no interruptions.


End file.
